Beans on toast is the only meal a Leeds woman could eat for weeks while struggling to afford to feed both herself and her cat.
Times have been so tough for Kelly Blakeley since she lost her job at the start of the pandemic that she relies on a food bank in Chapeltown. The former retail worker dotes on her cat Tigger, a tabby who she rescued from the streets, to the point where she'll put his needs first.
The 41-year-old, who receives Jobseeker’s Allowance, spoke to LeedsLive at St Giles Trust Pantry, which she's been using since August 2021. She said: “No matter what money I’ve got left over after paying the bills, no matter whether I could afford to buy food for myself, my cat came first and I always came second. So I could live on beans and toast for a fortnight so I could feed my cat. I’ve lived on beans on toast and eggs on toast.
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"Since coming down here, as you can see, I’ve been able to get a full shop. With the cooked meat that they do, I mainly get it for my cat. If I can’t afford cat food, I know that my cat has got something to eat.”
The food bank on Saville Mount has been open for about 18 months.
People in need can fill up two massive bags full of groceries for the small price of just £3.50. The staff understand this can be an embarrassing and challenging time for those in need so they’ve tried to make the visit as nice as possible.
There’s a comfy sofa that people can sit on, along with a coffee table and a rug which make the centre feel homely. Staff offer out cups of tea or coffee while they chat with people who come in for support support.
'There’s no shame'
Sybil Beckford, a grandmother-of-one and mother-of-three, said she was struggling to pay for food before visiting the food bank. The 74-year-old cleaner recounted how she would often be unable to pay the bill at the supermarket counter, surprised at the rising prices for food.
Sybil said: “This place makes a big difference. When you go into town to buy certain stuff, the prices keep going up. I’m one of those who pick something [an item] up in the shop and don’t look at the price. Then when I take it to the counter, I can’t pay for it.
“There’s no shame, when you’re hungry, you’re just hungry and you want certain things. At first you feel a bit stupid but after you start coming, it’s okay, everybody is doing it, food banks are everywhere now.”
Staff at the St Giles Trust offer a rang of services, which also includes offering support to ex-convicts who are rehabilitating into society, vulnerable woman, children and families.
Gill Gaunt, the community service delivery manager, said: "We like to be informal so people can come in and have a chat to us, it’s all confidential, about any issues they may have. Some people come in who have issues around social services, around their children, and we offer a lot of advice."
The 49-year-old, who has been a part of the trust for 10 years, added: “We wanted to make it feel like everyone who comes here could just have a chat with us. I'm sort of like a manager here but I’m just the same as everyone else."
Eva Bennett-Gibson, who has been working as a children and families case worker there since 2019, can often be seen loading up people’s shopping bags with all the grocery items. Eva said: “People know they can come here and take home some food without being judged and not looked down upon. They know that we’re here with open doors. We’re supportive when people come in and take them around, make sure they know there’s support on offer all the time and we’re here to help.”
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